Compartmented container



n 3 1964 R. A. IRWIN ETAL 3,139,208

I COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER Filed July 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 mi H 111/; I m 9 i1 \,1 1 @1310 $ww7w Ray-m and A.Irwm

055 211"? anladsr I" r June 30, 1964 Filed July 6, 1959 R. A. IRWIN ETAL 3,139,208

COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jmflm7M Hay-m uni A. .Trwm

use 21 I SanZadar @W United States Patent 3,139,208 COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER Raymond A. Irwin and Joseph F. Sanlader, Manitowoc,

Wis., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Marine National Exchange Bank, Milwaukee, Wis.

Filed July 6, 1959, Ser. No. 825,263 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-233) This invention relates to containers for artists colors and similar materials, and refers more particularly to a compartmented container adapted for holding an assortment of paints, pigments or the like.

The general object of this invention is to provide a suitable container for artists colors, particularly adapted for paint by numbers kits, in which the colors are contained in separate compartments or vessels, each securely sealed against leakage and each capable of being readily opened and resealed by the user.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a compartmented container of the character described, comprising a plurality of vessels, or tubs each provided with a readily resealable closure or cover, which container lends itself to inexpensive production as a unitary molding in a suitable resilient plastic by reason of the fact that the several vessels or tubs and their closures or covers are all formed integrally with one another.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a vessel adapted to contain artists colors or the like, provided with a securely scalable closure, which vessel and its closure are molded as a unit from a suitable substantially resilient plastic material such as polyethylene, and wherein the resilient characteristics of the material are utilized not only to provide a freely swingable connection between the vessel and its closure but also to provide for engagement between the vessel and its closure in such a manner as to afford a snug but readily releasable seal and to permit ready rescaling of the vessel by means of its closure.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of'a compartmented container of the character described made of substantially resilient material, comprising a plurality of tublike vessels connected near their tops by an integral web, and having a closure for each vessel with a plug-like portion that projects into the mouth of the vessel to seal the same, wherein each of the closures has a circumferential ridge or bead on its plug-like portion that cooperates with the inner surface of the side wall of the vessel to provide a secure seal for the vessel, and wherein the web provides reinforcement for the side wall of each vessel to insure against its yielding outwardly to relax its sealing engagement with said ridge or bead on the closure. In this same connection it is also an object of this invention to provide a detent engagement between each vessel and its closure, and to utilize the edgewise rigidity of the web to maintain the operativeness of the detent defining elements of the closure and vessel.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of the physical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a compare mented container embodying the principles of this invention;

' Patented June 30, 1964 FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the container shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top perspective view of a modified embodiment of the compartmented container of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view throughone of the vessels of the container shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through one of the tub-like vessels of another modified embodiment of this invention with the closure thereof removed from the Vessel; and a FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing the closure in place in the mouth of the vessel.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5' designates generally a container for artists colors or the like embodying the principles of this invention and comprising generally a plurality of cell-like vessels or receptacles 6, each comprising a compartment of the container, a closure 7 for each vessel, and a platelike web or connecting member 8 which connects the several vessels together into a unitary assembly and also provides for connection of each closure to the tub-like vessel with which it cooperates.

The container of this invention may be readily and inexpensively molded as a unit in polyethylene or a similar substantially resilient plastic, with the several parts of the container integral with one another. Thus (as best seen in FIGURE 3) each vessel or tub has a substantially cylindrical side wall 9 and a bottom wall 10 integral with the side wall, while the connecting member 8 comprises a web integrally connected with the side wall of each vessel near the top of the same. The connecting member connects the vessels and holds them at suitably spaced apart intervals with their bottom walls 10 disposed in a common plane substantially parallel to the web, so that the bottom walls of the vessels cooperate in forming a stable base adapted to rest on a fiat surface. The vessels are located adjacent to edge portions of the connecting member, and in the case of the container shown in FIGURE 1, wherein the connecting member is rectangular, the vessels are disposed in two rows, each row extending parallel to and alongside one of the longer edges 11 of the connecting member.

Each closure or cover 7 is connected with the vessel with which it cooperates by means of a flexible strap 12 extending from the edge of the connecting member adjacent to the vessel, the strap, of course, being integral with both the connecting member and the closure. Because of the resiliency of the plastic material from which the container is formed, and the fact that the strap is relatively thin in cross section, the strap permits the closure to be swung between an operative position closing the mouth of the vessel and an inoperative position like that occupied by the closure 7' in FIGURES 1 and 3, in which the closure is clear of the vessel and disposed alongside the connecting member.

Each closure 7 comprises a plug portion 13 adapted to project a short distance downwardly into'the open top of the vessel with which the closure cooperates, and a flange portion 14 projecting radially outwardly from the plug portion near its top and extending circumferentially around the plug portion. When the closure is in its operative or closed position the plug portion is snugly seated in the mouth of the vessel and the flange portion closely overlies the upper edge of the vessel side wall, all as best seen in FIGURE 3. The plug portion of the closure is provided with a circumferential ridge or bead 15, spaced below the flange portion 14, and which is re ceived in a closely fitting annular groove 16 in the inner 3 surface of the vessel side wall. It will be seen that the groove 16 in the vessel defines a ridge or circumferential bead 17 on the vessel wall under which the ridge 15 on the closure engages to insure that the seal between the closure and the mouth of the vessel is leak 'proof, and to readily releasably but securely hold the closure in its operative position, the flexibility of the material permitting the ridge 15 on the plug to be pushed past the ridge 17 on the vessel wall when the closure is inserted, and removed. The ridge or bead 15 on the closure moves across the ridge 17 on the vessel wall with a detent action as the closure is inserted into and withdrawn from the mouth of the vessel. Attention is directed to the fact that the plug portion of the closure is substantially cup shaped having an upwardly opening well 19 therein, and the ridge or circumferential bead 15 on the closure is coplanar with its bottom wall 15', While the crown of the head 17 on the vessel wall isin line with the underside of the web 8. The bottom wall 15' of the closure and the web 8, both effectively resist edgewise'cornpression and thus afford stiffening for the beads or ridges 15 and 17, respectively. As a result the detent action will .be sharp and positive, and since the crown of the head 17 is in line with the underside of the web 8, maximum assurance against accidental opening of the closure is obtained.

Because of the detent action and snug fit of the closure in the vessel, each closure is provided with a tab 18, integral with the closure and projecting therefrom substantially diametrically opposite the strap to facilitate opening of the closure. To space the tab 18 above the top surface of the connecting member and thus facilitate engagement of a finger under the tab, the underside of the tab is coplanar with the upper surface of the flange 14, so that the tab presents the appearance of flatwise overlying the flange. The rim 20 of the cup shaped closure projects above the level of the flange, flush with the upper surface of the tab 18, to improve the appearanceof the closure and to reinforce the tab. Obviously the closures may be provided with suitably embossed numbers or other indicia to identify the contents of the containers which they close.

To facilitate mixing of the colors, a shallow tray 21 may be provided midway between the ends of the connecting member, having low side walls 22 integral with and projecting downwardly from the connecting member, and a flat bottom wall 23'integral with the side walls 22 and disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of the connecting member.

Projecting upwardly from the connecting member, and

preferably located near one end thereof, is an inverted one end of the web or connecting member 8 and has its bottom wall 23' coplanar with the connecting member, While the side walls 22' of the tray are integral with the connecting member and the bottom wall of the tray and project upwardly therefrom.

The container shown in FIGURES 4 and also differs from the container of FIGURES 1 through 3 in having a modified closure and in having the side wall 9 of each vessel projecting upwardly above the upper surface of the connecting member a short distance, as at 29. The flange 14' which extends around the top of the plug portion, of the closure overlies the top edge of the vessel side wall, as in the FIGURES 1-3 embodiment, but has inner surface of the vessel side wall, near its rim, and a circumferential ridge or head 15' on the cup shaped closure, substantially coplanar with the bottom wall 15" of the latter.

The strap 12 which connects each closure with the connecting member 8' extends from the lower edge of the lip 30 and is of course integral with the lip and with the connecting member. The tab 18 also projects from the lower edge of the lip, substantially opposite the strap, and is integral with the lip. To give the connecting member additional rigidity, a downwardly projecting marginal flange 31 extends around its entire perimeter. An inverted U-shaped paint brush bracket 24. may also be provided in the modified embodiment of the invention.

In the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 the plug portion 113 of the closure has two circumferential ridges 115 and 215 which are axially spaced from one another. The lower ridge or head 215, which is coplanar with the bottom wall 215 of the cup-shaped closure, is rounded and engages under a circumferential ridge 117 on the inner surface of the vessel side wall, defined by a circumferential groove 217 below the ridge 117; and the ridges 215 and 117 thus cooperate to afford a detent action. The upper ridge 115 on the plug portion of the closure tapers outwardly to a sharp edge which engages the substantially cylindrical inner surface of the side wall under radial pressure to assure a good seal between the closure and the vessel;

Attention is directed to the fact that the apex or edge of the upper ridge 115 on the closure is substantially c0- planar with the underside of the web 8" when the closure is seated in the mouth of the vessel. The line of pressure engagement between the ridge 115 and the side wall of the vessel is thus locatedto take the best advantage of the stiffening which the web 8" affords the side wall of the vessel against yielding radially outwardly in response to the sealing pressure exerted thereon by the ridge 115, while also aiding in the securement against accidental opening of the closure. This function, howa downwardly projecting lip 30 around its outer edge cooperation between a circumferential bead 17' on the ever, is primarly served by the interengagement of the lower bead 215 and the groove 217.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanying. drawings it will be apparent that this invention provides a unitary compartmented container for artists colors or the like comprising a plurality of cell like vessels or receptacles, each provided with a. closure which securely seals it and which can be readily opened and rescaled with a detent action, and having a mixing tray adjacent to one end of a group of vessels, in which'container the several vessels, their closures and the mixing tray are all formed integrally with one another of molded polyethylene or similar substantially flexible material.

What is claimed as our invention is:

1. A container for paints and the like comprising: a unitary molding of material having a degree of resilience, said molding forming a tub-like vessel with a substantially cylindrical side wall, and a substantially flat web portion encircling andprojecting laterally outwardly from the top of the side wall to thereby stiffen the side Wall against outward deformation; a closure for them of the vessel, also molded of material having a degree of resilience, said closure being cup shaped and having a substantially flat bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical sidewall of a diameter to snugly fit into the mouth of the vessel; means on the closure to constrain the same to entry into the mouth of the vessel with the bottom 7 wall of the closure lowermost and to limit the depth to which the closure can enter the mouth of the vessel, said means including a radially outwardly projecting flange on fined inwardly directed circumferentially extending ridge adjacent to the mouth of the vessel and so located that the crown of said ridge is substantially coplanar with the underside of the web portion which encircles the vessel, and an outwardly projecting well defined ridge on and circumferentially encircling the side wall of the closure and so positioned that the crown thereof lies in a plane just below the underside of the web portion which encircles the vessel when the closure is fully inserted into the mouth of the vessel, so that during entry of the closure into the mouth of the vessel, said ridges snap past one another with a sharp detent action and engage one another on a plane directly below said Web portion.

2. A container for paints and the like comprising: a unitary molding of material having a degree of resilience, said molding forming a tub-like vessel with a substantially cylindrical side wall, and a substantially flat web portion encircling and projecting laterally outwardly from the top of the side wall to thereby stiffen the side wall against outward deformation; a closure for the top of the vessel, also molded of material having a degree of resilience, said closure being cup shaped and having a substantially flat bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall of a diameter to snugly fit into the mouth of the vessel; means on the closure to constrain the same to entry into the mouth of the vessel with the bottom wall of the closure lowermost and to limit the depth to which the closure can enter the mouth of the vessel; and combined sealing and closure securing means comprising, means on the side wall of the vessel forming a well defined inwardly and downwardly directed circumferentially extending ledge at a level below the underside of the web portion which encircles the vessel, an outwardly projecting ridge on and circumferentially encircling the side wall of the closure and located to engage under said ledge with a firm grip when the closure is fully inserted into the mouth of the vessel, to thereby hold the closure against accidental opening, and a sharp edged ridge on and circumferentially encircling the side wall of the closure upwardly of its other ridge and so located as to bear against the side of the vessel directly below the underside of said web portion which encircles the vessel to thereby form a tight seal between the closure and the mouth of the vessel.

3. A unitary container for artists colors and the like molded from substantially flexible material and comprising: a substantially flat platelike connecting member; a plurality of laterally spaced cups, each comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall integrally joined to the connecting member at its upper portion and a bottom wall integral with the side wall, and each cup being located adjacent to an edge of the connecting member; a closure for each cup comprising a plug portion adapted to fit snugly in the mouth of the cup, a rim-like flange projecting radially beyond the plug portion and extending around the periphery thereof to overlie the upper edge of the side wall of the cup, and a tab projecting edgewise of the flange to facilitate removal of the closure from the cup, the plug portion of the closure and the inner surface of the cup having integral circumferential ridge portions adapted to engage one another and releasably hold the plug portion against displacement out of the mouth of the cup, the crown of the circumferential ridge portion on the side wall of the cup being substantially coplanar with the underside of the plate-like connecting member so that the latter resists radially outward deformation of the side wall of the cup as said ridge portions are moved past one another during insertion and removal of the closure, thus assuring a sharply defined detent action and affording good assurance against accidental removal of the closure; and a strap integral with the flange portion of each closure and with the connecting member, each of said straps extending edgewise from the adjacent edge of the connecting member and being flexible to provide for swinging movement of the closure between a position closing the mouth of the cup and a position disposed to one side of the cup.

4. A unitary container for artists colors and the like molded from substantially flexible material and comprising: a substantially flat plate-like connecting member; a plurality of laterally spaced cups, each comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall integrally joined to the connecting member at its upper portion and a bottom wall integral with the side wall; a closure for each cup comprising a plug portion adapted to fit snugly in the mouth of the cup, a rim-like flange projecting radially beyond the plug portion and extending around the periphery thereof to overlie the upper edge of the side wall of the cup, and a tab projecting edgewise of the flange to facilitate removal of the closure from the cup; and means to hold the closure in place closing the top of the cup, said means comprising integral circumferential ridge portions on the plug portion and the inner surface of the cup adapted to engage one another and releasably hold the plug portion against displacement out of the mouth of the cup, the crown of the circumferential ridge portion of the side wall of the cup being substantially coplanar with the underside of the plate-like connecting member so that the latter resists radially outward deformation of the side wall of the cup as said ridge portions are moved past one another during insertion and removal of the closure, thus assuring a sharply defined detent action and affording good assurance against accidental removal of the closure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,613 Carmel Feb. 19, 1924 2,166,616 Wallace July 18, 1939 2,655,282 Dunbar Oct. 13, 1953 2,676,428 Silver Apr. 27, 1954 2,727,547 Moon Dec. 20, 1955 2,772,043 Foord Nov. 27, 1956 2,886,203 Goll May 12, 1959 2,909,228 Connors Oct. 20, 1959 2,947,463 Conklin Aug. 2, 1960 2,992,501 Douglas July 18, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,565 Great Britain of 1907 

1. A CONTAINER FOR PAINTS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: A UNITARY MOLDING OF MATERIAL HAVING A DEGREE OF RESILIENCE, SAID MOLDING FORMING A TUB-LIKE VESSEL WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT WEB PORTION ENCIRCLING AND PROJECTING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE SIDE WALL TO THEREBY STIFFEN THE SIDE WALL AGAINST OUTWARD DEFORMATION; A CLOSURE FOR THE TOP OF THE VESSEL, ALSO MOLDED OF MATERIAL HAVING A DEGREE OF RESILIENCE, SAID CLOSURE BEING CUP SHAPED AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM WALL AND A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL OF A DIAMETER TO SNUGLY FIT INTO THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL; MEANS ON THE CLOSURE TO CONSTRAIN THE SAME TO ENTRY INTO THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL WITH THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE CLOSURE LOWERMOST AND TO LIMIT THE DEPTH TO WHICH THE CLOSURE CAN ENTER THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE ON THE CLOSURE, ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE WEB PORTION, AND A STRAP INTEGRAL WITH SAID FLANGE AND WITH THE WEB PORTION AND EXTENDING EDGEWISE FROM THE WEB PORTION; AND COMBINED SEALING AND CLOSURE SECURING MEANS COMPRISING, MEANS ON THE SIDE WALL OF THE VESSEL FORMING A WELL DEFINED INWARDLY DIRECTED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING RIDGE ADJACENT TO THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL AND SO LOCATED THAT THE CROWN OF SAID RIDGE IS SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WEB PORTION WHICH ENCIRCLES THE VESSEL, AND AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING WELL DEFINED RIDGE ON AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ENCIRCLING THE SIDE WALL OF THE CLOSURE AND SO POSITIONED THAT THE CROWN THEREOF LIES IN A PLANE JUST BELOW THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WEB PORTION WHICH ENCIRCLES THE VESSEL WHEN THE CLOSURE IS FULLY INSERTED INTO THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL, SO THAT DURING ENTRY OF THE CLOSURE INTO THE MOUTH OF THE VESSEL, SAID RIDGES SNAP PAST ONE ANOTHER WITH A SHARP DETENT ACTION AND ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER ON A PLANE DIRECTLY BELOW SAID WEB PORTION. 